Raising natural beef involves giving cattle a grass and hay diet, which is considered the diet nature intended for these animals. Though many people still believe corn-fed beef is ideal for tender, juicy meat, Mother Earth News suggests consumers may be pleasantly surprised at the homegrown real meat flavor of naturally-raised, grass fed beef. Whether you are considering raising grass-fed beef for your own family or on a larger scale, the same strategies apply.
Definition of Natural Beef
The United States Department of Agriculture defines natural beef as meat that contains no artificial ingredients or added color and has been subjected to only minimal processing. In many instances, the term natural beef has also come to mean grass-fed or forage-fed beef.
Beef Grazing Guidelines
Make sure your pasture has both grass and legumes so your cattle get a healthy, balanced diet. Use rotation grazing in order to increase the quality and amount of forage produced per acre. Estimate 1 to 1.5 acres of pasture are needed for every 1,000 pounds of natural beef cows that are grazing, and partition the pasture into smaller fenced areas, called paddocks. Move the animals from one paddock once the plants are eaten down to about two inches. Give the recently grazed paddock a resting period long enough for plant roots to recover and leaves to grow back.
Selecting Suitable Winter Forage
Feed beef cattle hay that is dry but not brittle, with a nice green color inside the bale. Palatable grassy hay, which has been cut while still green, is adequate for their winter diet, but if it is coarse and dry, it probably lacks vitamin A and protein. In this case, cattle need some alfalfa or other legume hay in their diet.
Cut open several bales of hay to inspect it before purchasing in order to determine exactly what you are buying. Avoid damp, hot, moldy, dusty or poor-smelling hay.
Dietary Supplements for Grass Fed Beef
Remember that cattle need their diet supplemented with salt and mineral blocks. A mineral block high in magnesium can safeguard against grass tetany. When the cattle are not grazing on fresh grass, give them a vitamin A supplement, either in powdered form or contained in a protein mix. A protein supplement may also be necessary in winter if cattle are eating only mature grassy hay.
Finishing Natural Beef
Natural beef should remain grass fed until ready for slaughter, which is typically at two and a half years. Though this takes more time than the feed lot approach, the cattle will also weigh an average of 200 pounds more in the end.
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